Latino Teens Take Lead Among Peers in Getting HPV Vaccine

Vaccination against HPV is nowhere near being widespread, despite the potential complications of contracting the sexually transmitted disease.

However, Latino teens are emerging as more aggressive than their counterparts when it comes to taking the initiative to get the vaccine, according to recent findings by the National Health Interview Survey and the Vaccine medical journal.

“Adolescents with a Hispanic origin…were more likely than their counterparts to initiate the HPV vaccine,” one of the research’s contributors, Dr. Abbey Berenson , told Fox News Latino.

Part of a series of studies, Berenson and her colleagues at University of Texas Medical Branch found HPV vaccination rates in America are alarmingly low despite the vaccine’s proven ability to provide immunity against HPV-related cancers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all three doses of the HPV vaccine offer the best protection to girls and boys against contracting the disease.

And since celibacy is the only 100 percent preventative option, it would seem as though the vaccine would be more popular.

Looking into the cultural differences among various groups, Berenson said the results show further need to find “as to why there has been less uptake to this vaccine and what barriers there are.”

“There are still a significant number of parents who are concerned about the safety of the vaccine,” added Berenson.

HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer and is also linked to both anal and oral cancers in women and men. The CDC, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend HPV shots for girls and boys at age 11 or 12, before they ever have sex. Three doses are recommended over six months.